The Fairfield Police Department announces the arrests of Alejandra Almanzar (21) of Guttenburg, NJ and Ethan Mendez (19) of Palisades Park, NJ stemming from an incident that occurred on February 22, 2026.
On that date at approximately 1:24 pm, officers were dispatched to the TD Bank on a report of a female attempting to cash a fraudulent check. Officer Raymond Puluse arrived on scene and was directed towards Almanzar by bank employees. It is alleged she received a check from her place of work in the amount of $1750.11 and arrived at the bank to cash it. Bank employees were notified that the business name for the checking account had alerted them that this transaction was fraudulent.
When asked, Almanzar alleged she arrived alone at the bank in a black Cadillac Escalade. Additional officers responded and observed a heavily tinted black Cadillac Escalade backed into a parking space in the TD Bank lot, which was occupied by a male seated in the driver’s seat.
Officers spoke with Mendez, the driver, who allegedly denied any involvement with Almanzar. Surveillance from the bank, however, allegedly showed the vehicle entering the lot and Almanzar exiting from the passenger side of the black Cadillac before entering the bank.
Both were placed under arrest and transported to police headquarters for processing. The Cadillac was impounded for further investigation. They were both charged with forgery, bad checks, theft by deception, and three counts of conspiracy. Almanzar was later released pending an initial court date at the Essex County Courthouse. Mendez was subsequently transported to the Essex County Correctional Facility pending a first appearance.
(Charges are merely allegations until the defendants are proven guilty or plead guilty in a court of law).